Thursday, October 31, 2019

The Scream of 31 Days of Toy Terror: Ultimate Michael Myers (Halloween 2) from Halloween by NECA

 Happy Halloween 2019! I hope you have some incredible plans today and make the most of this fun, spooky day! Today I'm very excited to check out not just one of my most anticipated action figures of the Halloween 2019 season but one of my most anticipated figures of 2019 overall: Michael Myers from Halloween II! Back in the mid 2000s NECA did release a few action figures based off of the original Halloween and Rob Zombie's 2007 remake, but between then and 2019 NECA has been pretty quiet on the Halloween front. Things have changed, though, and now we have action figures from 2018's Halloween an 1981's Halloween II with figures coming from Halloween III: Season of the Witch. NECA has been very faithful here, definitely ensuring that this is a Halloween II Michael Myers and not a figure from the original film (although I hope they are able to release some figures from that film soon). With two more sequels scheduled for Halloween 2020 and 2021, the Halloween franchise is in a great place right now and NECA can hopefully get busy bringing us some more Ultimate goodness. Let's check out this version of Michael Myers after the break...

Wednesday, October 30, 2019

Action Figure Review: Crystal Man-At-Arms from Masters of the Universe by Super7

    Is this the Invisible Man-At-Arms? Nope! It's Crystal Man-At-Arms from Super7's vintage styled Masters of the Universe line. I just finished looking at series 3 at the beginning of the week and now I'm checking out the small series of "statue" figures that were released between series 3 and series 4. This is really just a translucent version of the Filmation styled Man-At-Arms figure released earlier this year, but it's not just a variant for the sake of being a variant: Man-At-Arms did actually get turned into a crystal statue in the He-Man and the Masters of the Universe episode "The Dragon's Gift" (he also got turned into a crystal statue in the minicomic based on the episode). It's a slightly obscure variant, but it is kind of fun and the figure looks really cool. Let's take a look at this crystal clear version of Duncan after the break...

The Scream of 31 Days of Toy Terror: Dracula from Universal Monsters: ReAction by Funko

   I bid you....welcome!

 Only one more day until Halloween! That means that we're almost at the end of The Scream of 31 Days of Toy Terror, but it's not over yet! Today I'm checking out Funko's ReAction Dracula figure from the Universal Monsters line. I purchased the entire set of these when they came out five years ago and they're still some of my favorite faux-vintage Kenner styled figures. Dracula is one of the biggest movie monsters of all time and this figure is based on the portrayal by which all others are measured: Bela Lugosi in 1931's Dracula. Let's check this guy out after the break...

Tuesday, October 29, 2019

Minifigure Review: Trash Can Wave 4 (Slime) from M.U.S.C.L.E. Masters of the Universe by Super7

    Today I'm checking out the last of the 2019 Power Con exclusives I picked up: The complete wave 4 of Masters of the Universe M.U.S.C.L.E. figures in slime green plastic. While Super7 released the previous three sets of M.U.S.C.L.E. figures in cool, convenient 3-packs, they opted to release series 4 in blind boxes under the Keshi Surprise label. It's a terrible idea: Why would I purchase blind boxed individual minifigures from an online store? Anyways, I held out from purchasing any of those until wave four got a "complete" release and this set of figures does give you one of each sculpt in cool "trash can" that looks like the vintage MOTU Slime canister. This series focused on the She-Ra and the Princess of Power cast which was a great idea. You get six members of the Evil Horde and six members of the Great Rebellion here. Ready to check these wee warriors out? Then join me after the break...

The Scream of 31 Days of Toy Terror: Cracked Tusk from Predator by Kenner

   I've been pretty strict with keeping to the movie based theme of 2019's The Scream of 31 Days of Toy Terror so I hope you'll indulge me by allowing Kenner's Cracked Tusk Predator figure on the list. While he's not an exact copy of one of the Predators from the films, he definitely was based on the films at the time. You know, just given the ol' Kenner movie toy makeover. I've long shared my love of this toyline and I'm really excited about NECA's upcoming Kenner styled figures. Yeah, NECA has made plenty of Kenner tribute figures but now they're actually making figures in the 90s Kenner style. I can't wait. Today I'm checking out the first Predator figure I had and, during my childhood, one of the only two Predator figures I owned from the line: Cracked Tusk! Like so many of my childhood Alien Vs. Predator memories, it involved my childhood friend Freddy. I distinctly remember my friend Freddy bringing this toy over my house to show it off. It blew my mind then and I still think it's a pretty incredible monster toy. Let's check out Cracked Tusk after the break...

Monday, October 28, 2019

Action Figure Review: Modulok (C) from Masters of the Universe ReAction by Super7

   Super7 has really gone wild with Modulok's whole "Evil Beast of a Thousand Bodies" tagline, haven't they? This is the fourth Modulok variant I've reviewed on here from the ReAction line! This one is called Modulok (C) and it was an exclusive to NYCC 2019, just like the Grizzlor (Dark Variant) figure I checked out the other day. This is mostly going to be a comparison review as there isn't a lot new here, but that's OK! Sometimes I just need a quick review to convey my full thoughts. Let's check this guy (these guys?) out after the break...

The Scream of 31 Days of Toy Terror: The Curse of Michael Myers from 5 Star: Horror by Funko

   We're only a few days away from Halloween and guess who's back? Yup! It's time for another review of Michael Myers! Actually, according to the package, this figure is called "The Curse of Michael Myers" which is subtitle of the sixth film in the series: Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers. That's kind of weird to call the figure by the title of the film, right? It's gotta be a licensing issue of some sort. For one reason, the Halloween rights are kind of bizarre. Another reason, why would someone pick the sixth Halloween film for making a figure that's a fairly generic Michael Myers? It's not like there is anything that makes this version of Michael a specifically Halloween VI version of the character. Weird! This figure is from Funko's 5 Star offering of products. The 5 Star figures just started showing up last year and they have some of the qualities of other lines like POP! vinyls or Dorbz but they actually have articulated arms and accessories. I haven't purchased any Funko 5 Star figures yet but Michael convinced me to dive in. Let's check out The Curse of Michael Myers after the break...

Sunday, October 27, 2019

Action Figure Review: Trap Jaw from Masters of the Universe by Super7

    Today I'm checking out the last figure from series 3 of Super7's neo-vintage Masters of the Universe line and this time it's the dastardly Trap Jaw! While Trap Jaw wasn't released until the second series of vintage MOTU figures in 1983, he's always held a place as one of Skeletor's main baddies. That's probably due to both his prominence in the Filmation animated series and the strength of his vintage toy. Trap Jaw has always been an amazing figure and Super7's version recaptures most of what made him so incredible while giving him the look of his popular Filmation counterpart. Let's take a look at Super7's Filmation influenced Trap Jaw after the break...

The Scream of 31 Days of Toy Terror: Lock, Shock, & Barrel from The Nightmare Before Christmas by Applause

 Back in 2017 I checked out Applause's Zero from The Nightmare Before Christmas and today I'm checking out Lock, Shock, and Barrel from the same line. This is an item that is one of my original childhood toys. I loved The Nightmare Before Christmas when it came out and since I never could find the Hasbro set of Lock, Shock, and Barrel I ended up with this set from a Suncoast video. Remember those? The same company that owns/owned them now owns FYE, so maybe Suncoast video stores just morphed into FYE? They are very similar! Anyways, they stocked a lot of Nightmare Before Christmas merchandise when the film came out and I distinctly remember my mom buying this for me back in 1993. The figures are a little small scale-wise when compared to Hasbro's but it was the first chance I can ever recall to get Lock, Shock, and Barrel's walking bathtub. This is a fun toy that's a bit nostalgic for me, so it's great for the week of Halloween. Mine does have a piece broken off, a small pipe in the back, and while I usually don't review my older toys that are missing pieces, this one gets a pass. Chalk it up to nostalgia and the Halloween season! Let's check these three rapscallions out after the break...

Saturday, October 26, 2019

Action Figure Review: Starburst She-Ra from Princess of Power by Mattel


    I'm still making my way through the PowerCon 2019 exclusives and today I'm reviewing what might actually be the most impressive of the lot: The 1/6th scale Starburst She-Ra from Mattel! Back in 2016 Mattel released an amazingly cool 1/6th sale She-Ra in her classic outfit (which also came with two other outfits) and this year Mattel released this follow-up figure. Starburst She-Ra is not only an impressive looking figure but she comes in incredibly cool (collector friendly) packaging that captures the look of the vintage Princess of Power packaging. Mattel's definitely seems to have big plans for the MOTU property over the couple of years and they've had a solid showing this year, too. You know what else is kind of an interesting observation? I'm pretty sure this is the first year ever that Mattel has put out more She-Ra product than He-Man and the Masters of the Universe product! Yeah, Mattel released the PowerCon MOTUC figures, the Origins set, and has the upcoming Masters of the WWE Universe line coming out soon but if you factor in this and the She-Ra and the Princesses of Power line into the equation 2019 is truly the year of Princess Adora and the Great Rebellion! Let's check out Satrburst She-Ra after the break...

The Scream of 31 Days of Toy Terror: Frankenstein from Universal Monsters ReActin by Funko

 I checked out the Bride of Frankenstein earlier this month, so now let's check out the monster himself! Behold, Frankenstein! Or Frankenstein's monster, if you're pedantic. Anyways, Frankenstein is one of the big leaders in film monsterdom and absolutely an iconic character of film (he's big in literature, too, but c'mon: This version is based on Boris Karloff's portrayal of the monster from the 1931 film. If you've never watched the Universal Monster movies, you really ought to go back and do so. Most of them really hold up well and they have so much atmosphere! Frankenstein was part of Funko's Universal Monsters ReAction line from back in 2014 which turned out to be one of the best lines they put out. Super7 has been redoing a lot of these figures, so fans of the line might want to check out those too. For now, I'm content with this series though I wouldn't mind adding a few of the new characters Super7 has made to the collection. Let's check out this Kenner styled Frankenstein after the break...

Friday, October 25, 2019

Action Figure Review: Grizzlor (Dark Variant) from Masters of the Universe ReAction by Super7

    Super7 likes to do plenty of variants with their ReAction figures and today I'm checking out one of the variants from the Masters of the Universe ReAction line: The Dark Variant of Grizzlor! Exclusive to NYCC 2019, the Dark Variant Grizzlor depicts one of the vintage toy variants of Grizzlor where he has much darker limbs and fur and a black face instead of the brown face. It's a fairly well known variant and it's one I'm surprised neither Mattel nor Super7 ever tried to work into the Masters of the Universe Classics line. We get it here, though, so let's take a quick look at Grizzlor after the break...

The Scream of 31 Days of Toy Terror: Gooey Ray Stantz and Exploding Stay Puft from Ghostbusters Minimates by Diamond Select Toys

   I've said before that my favorite Ghostbusters toyline of all time is the Minimates Ghostbusters line, so considering we're celebrating the spooky characters of cinema this month, how about we take a look at one of the sets from this great toyline? Back in 2009 Diamond released a series of 2 packs exclusively to Toys 'R Us and one of those sets features an exploding Stay Puft marshmallow man and Ray Stantz, covered in marshmallow fluff. Not all of the Minimates Ghostbusters sets were themed, but this one was and it turned out pretty nicely. Let's check out some now decade old Minimates from the greatest horror comedy of all time, after the break...

Thursday, October 24, 2019

Action Figure Review: Prince Adam from Masters of the Universe by Super7

    Today I'm looking at another figure from Super7's neo-vintage Masters of the Universe figures and this time it's Prince Adam himself. I love Prince Adam but, sadly, I don't have the vintage figure of the character. My childhood one got sold off at some point when I was in middle school and I've never picked up a replacement. Prince Adam certainly isn't one of the rarest MOTU but it can get fairly pricey to find one in good condition with both his vest and belt. While this more Filmation inspired figure isn't a true replacement for a vintage Prince Adam, it's a nice figure to have as a placeholder for the moment. Let's check out this version of Prince Adam after the break...

The Scream of 31 Days of Toy Terror: Michael Myers from Cult Classics Icons by NECA

    Today I'm checking out the first Michael Myers figure I ever owned: Michael Myers from Rob Zombie's 2007 Halloween remake. While this figure was originally released around August 2007, NECA rereleased it again in 2009 as part of the Cult Classics Icons line. NECA's main Cult Classics ran from 2005-2008 and delivered lots of characters from various horror, sci-fi, and fantasy films, but in 2009 NECA released a number of figures from the line at lower prices with fewer accessories, no bases, and now on traditional blister cards rather than clamshell packaging. Michael Myers was one of the first series figures and I remember finding him on a cold and rainy October afternoon in 2009 at a Toys R Us that no longer exists. If I were ranking Zombie's Halloween, it would probably be in the middle of the Halloween films for me: It's a solid movie, definitely better than 4, 5, and 6, though I don't like it as well as 1, 2, 3, and 2018. Regardless of where you place it, though, it's nice to have a depiction of this version of Michael Myers on the shelf. Since we're looking at horror movie characters this year for 31 Days of Toy Terror, it was the perfect time for this version of Michael to make an appearance. Let's check him out after the break...

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Action Figure Review: Starfire from DC Comics Multiverse by Mattel

    I know that I've been making my way through the most recent (and final) series of DC Comics Multiverse figures lately but I am going to take a brief detour and check out a couple figures that were released earlier this year. Starfire is from the Ninja Batman Collect & Connect series which ended up being rather difficult to get a hold of due to the poor distribution this line has suffered for the past few years. Starfire was a must buy for me, particularly because Mattel's DC Universe Classics release was pretty disappointing. This one's a lot better though and while it doesn't feature Koriand'r's classic costume, it does feature her modern costume which is really, really nice. Honestly, I'm a big fan of this look. My daughter was really into the DC Super Hero girls line which used a similar outfit, so I've wanted this look for Starfire in my preferred DC line for a few years now. I actually preordered Starfire through Amazon months ago but she finally showed up at the end of September. Let's take a look at her after the break...

The Scream of 31 Days of Toy Terror: Jason Voorhees from Toony Terrors by NECA

    We're creeping closer and closer to Halloween and today I've got another cool new figure to check out: Jason Voorhees from NECA's Toony Terrors! I checked out Freddy Krueger earlier this month but, if you somehow missed that review, Toony Terrors are stylized renditions of some of the A-listers of slasher and horror cinema designed to look like the starts of a Saturday morning cartoon. Imagine that there had been a Friday the 13th animated cartoon in the 1980s, or even better yet an ensemble show with Freddy, Jason, Michael Myers, and Leatherface solving mysteries: This is what they would have looked like! It's a pretty cool approach and NECA has done a darn fine job with this line. I bought Freddy back in August sometime but these guys soon became rather scarce. Target seemed to restock them again near the end of September, which is when I finally stumbled upon Jason. Ready for a look at the most classic slasher star there is (I like Michael Myers more than anyone, but Jason is definitely the first person anyone thinks of when they think of a slasher movie star)? Then get your ki-ki-ki-ma-ma-ma on and let's check him out after the break...

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

Action Figure Review: Leviathan from Fortnite: Legendary Series by Jazwares

    Are you ready for another review from Jazware's excellent Fortnite: Legendary Series? Of course you are! Today I'm checking out the incredibly crazy cool fishman Leviathan. Leviathan appears to be a fish of some sort chilling out in the glass globe helmet of a diving suit. Pretty funky, right? I see all sorts of possible sources of inspiration here including Fearless Fish from Sweet Pickles, Bob the Killer Goldfish from Earthworm Jim, and apparently Minion from Megamind (I also see elements of both Johann Kraus and Abe Sapien, too, though that just might be me). This guy is easily one of the coolest looking figures from Series II of this line and he's been hitting stores for around a month or so. Let's check out Leviathan after the break...

The Scream of 31 Days of Toy Terror: The Bride of Frankenstein from Universal Studios Monsters Mystery Minis by Funko

    Who would have thought that the Bride of Frankenstein would get two appearances on The Scream of 31 Days of Toy Terror? Funko recently released these very cool Universal Monsters Mystery Minis and I stumbled upon them while checking out a Halloween City store. Yes, my smaller city just got out own Halloween City pop-up store. It's the first of these kinds of stores we've had in the 12 years I've lived here and it's already made Halloween 2019 one to remember. There's nothing like being able to hop in the car and run over to Halloween City to get a quick dose of spookiness! We checked this out back in late September when it first opened and they had a fresh case of these Universal Monsters Mystery Minis set out. I decided to go with just one since they can be unevenly packed to a case (they have lots of figures with rarities like 1/36 and 1/72, meaning that I definitely was not going to buy case. If they'd all been packed 1/12, I definitely would have grabbed the case and took it right up to the register. Anyways, let's check out the iconic Bride of Frankenstein after the break...

Monday, October 21, 2019

Road to Rise of the Skywalker: Second Sister Inquisitor from Star Wars: The Black Series Phase III by Hasbro

    Triple Force Friday 2019 earned it's name because it included product not just from the upcoming Star Wars Episode IX: Rise of the Skywalker but also merchandise from the upcoming Disney+ show the Mandalorian and the video game Jedi: Fallen Order. Today I'm checking out the Second Sister, one of the Inquisitorius from Jedi: Fallen Order. GameStop has an exclusive Carbonized Graphite variant of the character but I passed her up and just went with the standard figure. The Inquisitors first showed up in Rebels but now they're making their way into more areas of the Star Wars Galaxy. The Second Sister is a new character (different from the Seventh Sister from Rebels) who actually appeared in an issue of the Darth Vader comic series last year. Of course, Jedi: Fallen Order is going to be her first real hurrah so let's get a jump on checking out a new evil Star Wars villain after the break...

The Scream of 31 Days of Toy Terror: Michael Myers from Halloween: Mezco Designer Series by Mezco

   There's someone who usually makes some sort of  appearance during 31 Days of Toy Terror: Michael Myers! Michael may show up more than once this year as well, if things work out according to plan! For today's installment of The Scream of 31 Days of Toy Terror I'm checking out a very cool new Michael Myers figure from the Mezco Designer Series. I actually reviewed the Sam in this style back in 2017 so I was familiar with the line. I really liked Sam, but let me tell you: Michael Myers is even better! Mezco has definitely added in more articulation here making him even more fun to play with and display. Michael Myers is one of the undisputed Halloween icons (I put him up there with Sam, Jack the Pumpkin King, Elvira, and David S. Pumpkins) and this is his season, so let's let him loose, shall we? More after the break...

Sunday, October 20, 2019

Action Figure Review: Red Robin from DC Comics Multiverse by Mattel

   Today I'm checking out the fifth figure in Mattel's final series of DC Comics Multiverse figures and this time it's Tim Drake in his Red Robin Disguise. Having worn the tights since 1989, Tim Drake was Robin when Mattel began releasing DC Comics figures in 2003 (though Stephanie Brown took on the role for a while in 2004) and he held the title until 2009 when he became Red Robin after Battle for the Cowl (Damian Wayne stepped in as Robin at that point). When Mattel released Robin for the first time in DCUC, it was Tim in his then recent red and black outfit and in 2012 they released him in an earlier Red Robin costume. This is his most recent look, however, and makes for a great figure to further fill out the batfamily. While Mattel has neglected lots of older teams like the New Gods, the JSA, and previous Justice Leagues, they've been good about filling out the bat-family over the past two or three years. Let's check out Red Robin after the break and see how he stacks up among the other figures in this series.

The Scream of 31 Days of Toy Terror: Pennywise (with Beaver Hat) #779 from It: Chapter Two from POP! Movies by Funko

    Holy moly! It's a Stephen King POP! trifecta! I assure you, this wasn't planned! It was just a happy accident! Today I'm checking out a cool POP! vinyl I was surprised with for my birthday back in September: The FYE exclusive Pennywise with Beaver Hat. Coming from the excellent It: Chapter Two, this version of Pennywise features the character holding one of the "I Love Derry" hats from the film that's meant to look like a beaver. It's an interesting looking POP! featuring a cool prop from the film and I was pretty surprised to get it as a gift. Let's take a look at Pennywise for today's installment of The Scream of 31 Days of Toy terror, shall we?

Saturday, October 19, 2019

The Road to Rise of the Skywalker: Clone Commander Fox from Star Wars: The Black Series Phase III by Hasbro

 Triple Force Friday was about two weeks ago and, like many other Force Fridays before it in recent memory, it was pretty hit or miss. Most places didn't seem to get much stock in (Frozen II definitely got all of the attention) and a couple Wal-Marts I checked out looked at me like I had two heads when I asked where the Star Wars stuff was (they didn't know of anything coming out, I was told). I did make a few purchases, though, and mostly from GameStop. Folks, I know gamers give GameStop a hard time, but they're a fantastic store for action figure collectors: Nice exclusives, they carry stuff at retail no one else currently does, they have a good rewards system, and you can preorder stuff. The three GameStops I frequent have nothing but helpful staff who know me on a first name basis, fuss over my little kid (they always show her the new Pokemon stuff), and sometimes hold back stuff for me they think I might be interested in. If it weren't for GameStop my Triple Force Friday would have been a bust! One of the figures I picked up on Triple Force Friday was the GameStop exclusive Clone Commander Fox from the Black Series. Commander Fox, AKA CC-1010, is the Commander of the Coruscant Guard, a division of shocktroopers stationed on Coruscant to provide security to the capital of the Galactic Republic. I'm always down for a new Clone Trooper so Clone Commander Fox was my first pickup on Triple Force Friday. We've had the Coruscant Guard troopers since 2016 so it's nice to finally have Commander Fox to lead them. Let's check him out after the break...

The Scream of 31 Days of Toy Terror: Gage & Church #729 from Pet Sematary from POP! Movies by Funko

   Guess what? We're kind of on a mini-streak of creepy Stephen King kids! Today I'm checking out Funko's POP! Gage & Church from Pet Sematary. Based on the 1989 film adaptation (and not the 2019, which was pretty solid, too), Pet Sematary terrified me as a kid. It was one of he first horror movies I ever saw and both Gage Creed and the sister, Zelda, who yells "Rachel! Rachel" terrified me. True story! I had a friend in middle school and one day while we were hanging out, maybe at our neighborhood I ran over to his house to grab something. I think his dad had run to the store or something because no one else was there. As I walked upstairs I heard a voice say "I want to play with you!" I guess a TV had been left on and Pet Sematary was playing but, at the time, I just bolted. It freaked me out! Anyways, now I own a cutesy vinyl of that kid and his undead cat which I'm going to stick on a shelf neck to Jack Torrance from The Shining and Lucy in her witch costume. Weird, huh? Let's hop on and see how Gage fares in The Scream of 31 Days of Toy Terror...

Friday, October 18, 2019

Action Figure Review: Batman from DC Comics Multiverse by Mattel

   Today I'm checking out the fourth figure in Mattel's last full series of DC Comics Multiverse figures and it's....Batman! C'mon, you knew they weren't going to let a Batman themed series go by without a Batman figure, right? It turns out that there's a catch here, though: This isn't Bruce Wayne! It's actually Dick Grayson from his time wearing the cowl in the Batman: Reborn even that took place after Final Crisis.  As far as I'm aware, this is the first time we've actually gotten a Dick Grayson Batman (I thought this was a Dick Grayson Batman, but I was wrong). That makes this a pretty desirable figure then but, unfortunately, this guy has some issues. I'm usually pretty kind in my reviews, but that's because most of the time I buy stuff I tend to like and that most of the stuff I collect is pretty solid. Unfortunately, this is going to be one of those times that I'm going to be pretty critical. Let's check things out after the break...

The Scream of 31 Days of Toy Terror: Danny Torrance #458 from The Shining from POP! Movies by Funko

    During 2017's The Curse of 31 Days of Toy Terror I reviewed Funko's POP! of Jack Torrance from Stanley's Kubrick's The Shining and today, just a little over 2 years later, I'm reviewing Danny Torrance. About a month or so ago I finally got the chance to read Doctor Sleep and I was very pleased. It was a great book by Stephen King (who nearly always books that you hate to see end) and it got me back in the mood to check out The Shining again. I'm not sure if we'll see any POP! vinyls from Doctor Sleep so this might be the only pop of Danny Torrance we get. The Shining has long been one of my favorite King books and I dreamed about having action figures based on Stephen King properties when I was a young teen just getting into his writings and the films based on them. Danny is an interesting POP! as he's easily the first POP! I can think of from my collection that would be really hard to place unless you knew who it was intended to be. Let's check him out after the break so you can see what I mean...

Thursday, October 17, 2019

Action Figure Review: Faker (Mondo Exclusive) from Masters of the Universe by Mondo

 Variants and repaints are just a part of action figure collecting. Whether you're giving a character a different look or you're creating a new character out of existing parts, variants and repaints allow a company to get more mileage out of molds, which are the most expensive part of action figure production. While some repaints are often looked on with disdain, some grow to legendary status. While the Masters of the Universe line relied quite heavily on reusing parts and variants, Faker is one character who is largely just a repaint, and yet he's nearly treated as another A-list character at this point. I've previously reviewed the first two figures in Mondo's 1/6th scale Masters of the Universe line (He-Man and Skeletor) but this is the first time I'm getting to review one of the Mondo exclusive figures. Yes, this version of Faker has a new headsculpt that is unique to him. Let's take a look at the Mondo exclusive Faker after the break...

The Scream of 31 Days of Toy Terror: Mola Ram from Indiana Jones by Hasbro

    One of my favorite film series of all time is Indiana Jones and while Temple of Doom isn't my favorite now (it's my third favorite), it definitely was my favorite as a kid. I loved tombs and temples and stuff like that, and the fact that most of the film takes place in a giant underground temple thrilled me. I remember watching the movie for the first time, probably on October 1 1989 on ABC, probably when it was an ABC Sunday night movie. I loved the film a lot and was nuts about the main villain, Mola Ram. The Indiana Jones movies, and particularly Temple of Doom, combine a mixture of old fashioned adventure film with horror elements to create something that's shocking, exciting, and fun and man, did Mola Ram make for a shocking and exciting villain. Played by the late Amrish Puri, Mola Ram is a terrifying presence on screen. While Indy has battled his fair share of villains, Mola Ram is definitely the villain who still stands out the most and since he's so darn creepy, he's earning a spot on The Scream of 31 Days of Toy Terror! Mola Ram was released in the kind of tough to find fourth series of Indiana Jones figures back in 2008. This was the last series of figures with a wide release (the true final wave was released as an SDCC 2011 exclusive) and, sadly, it showed how Hasbro was really improving this line as it went. Hasbro was on fire with this scale back in 2008. Let's check out Mola Ram after the break. Kali maa!

Wednesday, October 16, 2019

Road to Rise of the Skywalker: Emperor Palpatine and Throne from Star Wars: The Black Series Phase III by Hasbro

    On December 20th, 2019 Star Wars Episode IX: Rise of the Skywalker will hit theaters and it seems like Sheev Palpatine is going to be making a reappearance.I'm pretty excited for that and I'm really, really hoping that an appropriate mixture of material from the Original Trilogy and the Prequel Trilogy will make Rise of the Skywalker a satisfying conclusion to the Trilogy of Trilogies, particularly after how disappointed I was by The Last Jedi. Regardless, we're getting some cool merchandise from Hasbro and today I'm checking out the Amazon exclusive Emperor Palpatine and Throne set from Star Wars: The Black Series. Emperor Palpatine was released in the Black Series nearly five years ago (way back in Phase II) but that figure was a little disappointing. Rather than simply re-release him in the Archive Series with a redone headsculpt, Hasbro fixed most of the problems with the original figure, threw in some additional portraits and the Emperor's throne, and are offering him as a deluxe set. Ready to see this new and improved version of the Emperor? Then join me after the break...

The Scream of 31 Days of Toy Terror: Transforming Action Set from Micro Machines: Aliens by Galoob

   I'm very, very excited about today's installment of The Scream of 31 Days of Toy Terror as it combines two things I love: Micro Machines and Aliens! Yes, today I'm checking out the Xenomorph shaped Transforming Action Set from Galoob's Micro Machines: Aliens line from 1996. Galoob had amazing success with Star Wars and a moderate success with Star Trek, so they were definitely exploring for another big property. With a renewed interest in science fiction, between 1996 and 1998 Galoob tried to launch multiple successful lines started from a number of properties: Men in Black, Predator, Starship Troopers, Babylon 5, The Terminator, and Aliens. Aliens was definitely my favorite of those properties at the time of release and while I never managed to track down the Action Fleet scaled vehicles, I did manage to get all three of the regular packs and the transforming set. The regular sets probably came out in the summer of 1996 but I definitely got the Transforming Action set in late 1996 or very, very early 1997. I know I got it from a Toys 'r Us and I played with this thing non-stop. While the Micro Machines line didn't contain the entire cast, I drafted various Star Wars: Action Fleet and Jonny Quest figures to fill in as the missing crew. Based on the original Alien, a masterpiece of science fiction and horror, this Micro Machines set is sure to deliver thrills and chills! Let's check it out after the break...

Tuesday, October 15, 2019

Action Figure Review: Red Hood from DC Comics Multiverse by Mattel

    Today I'm checking out the third figure in Mattel's final series of DC Comics Multiverse figures and it's a character I've wanted to see in Mattel's DCUC/ Multiverse line for years: Jason Todd as the Red Hood. One of the main members of the Bat-family, Red Hood has been a key player in the DC Universe for years though he hasn't gotten much attention toy wise. DC Collectibles just released their DC Essentials Red Hood a month or so ago and Mattel's has been hitting shelves for around the same amount of time. The last series of DC Multiverse figures really does fill in some gaps in the Bat-family, so it's a welcome series, although it does have lots of little weird issues that just seem like very Mattel things to do. For instance: Red Hood doesn't come with pistols. Now, let's think about how little sense that makes since the Red Hood's primary weapons are pistols. He always carries and uses pistols. If Mattel had made some better choices and had a bit better character selection over the past few years, maybe things might have been different. Starting in 2020 McFarlane Toys is going to be making the DC figures we see at mainstream retail. For now, though, let's see how Mattel's Red Hood fares. Join me after the break...

The Scream of 31 Days of Toy Terror: Lak Sivrak from Star Wars: The Power of the Force by Hasbro

    I love pulling out random figures of on-screen monsters and such for The 31 Days of Toy Terror and since this year's installment, The Scream of 31 Days of Toy Terror, is all about monsters and such from movies, I'm really getting the chance to check out some of my favorite Star Wars creatures. Today I'm checking out one of the figures from Kenner's Star Wars: The Power of the Force II line: The Shistavanen wolfman Lak Sivrak! I distinctly recall getting this figure, along with a few others, back at a Service Merchandise on a rainy evening back in 1998. My mother had taken me out to dinner and we were checking out the local Service Merchandise when I stumbled upon quite a few new Star Wars figures. Jackpot! As a middle schooler at the time, a Friday night not spent at a friend's house consisted of watching some Nick at Nite, playing with Star Wars figures, a little N64, and staying up late to watch Cartoon Network. That being, said, back to Lak Sivrak: Despite being released for the first time in 1998, after the Special Editions had been released, Lak Sivrak was actually cut from the film! Yup! A new alien, the Pacithhip, Ketworl, took his place. Lak Sivrak still lives on in our hearts, however, and in the Expanded Universe/ Legends continuity. Wait, in the EU he actually died at the Battle of Endor while piloting an X-Wing fighting against the Empire. He's still alive in the New Canon, though, hanging out with his love, Dice Ibegon. Let's check out a spooky space Wolfman after the break...

Monday, October 14, 2019

Action Figure Review: The Punisher from Marvel Legeneds Series: The Punisher by Hasbro

    It's no insult to Hasbro's Marvel Legends, as they've continued to be excellent this year, but I haven't purchased one since Captain Marvel back in February. I was checking out GameStop a few weeks ago and I stumbled upon the new Fan Channel exclusive of the Punisher, which I just had to pick up. What can I say? I have a weakness for Punisher figures. They usually look really cool and feature lots of great accessories. This version also reminds me of a cross between the Punisher, Solid Snake, and Snake Plissken. That was enough to sell me on it right there. The Fan Channel exclusives tend to show up directly at sites targeting fans like BBTS, Entertainment Earth, and Hasbro Pulse or in retail at places like GameStop. They don't have build-a-figure parts with them as they're sold as individual releases rather as in series. Let's check out this new version of Frank Castle after the break...

The Scream of 31 Days of Toy Terror: Wampa #60 from Star Wars Miniatures by Wizards of the Coast

    It's time for another sci-fi creature to make an appearance in The Scream of 31 Days of Toy Terror and this time it's another Star Wars creature: The Wampa! Back in 2004 I was nuts about Wizards of the Coasts' Star Wars Miniatures game. I got really into the first series, Rebel Storm and while I did play the game, and actually had a few friends who started playing it, too, I was mostly interested in the miniatures. Collecting a full set of these guys was really difficult. The booster packs were $12.99 each, which seemed a bit pricier at the time, and each included seven miniatures. While six of the miniatures were common or uncommon army builder figures, one of them was guaranteed to be a Rare or Very Rare. The Wampa is a Very Rare and was one of my most anticipated figures. I still love this guy and, as always, I'm still a firm believer in the validity of vicious snow creatures always having a place during the Halloween season. Ready for a look at this cool Wampa minifigure? Then join me after the break...

Sunday, October 13, 2019

Action Figure Review: Carbon Series from Overwatch: Ultimates by Hasbro

 I've been so busy getting reviews ready for The Scream of 31 Days of Toy Terror that it's taken me nearly a month to get my review together for the Overwatch: Ultimates Carbon Series 4-pack, but here it finally is! GameStop had two exclusives for the Overwatch: Ultimates series hit: Lucio (Bitrate) and this boxed set of four figures in their Carbon Fiber and Midnight variant outfits. This is an interesting set as you're getting one figure from series 1 (Pharah), two figures from series 2 (Zarya and Genji), and one new figure that hasn't yet seen a standard release (D.Va). It's a nice mixture but I did have one big disappointment upon opening this set: The three previously released characters are missing some accessories from their prior releases. You're actually getting less stuff with this release than you get with the regular or 2-pack releases of these characters. Genji is missing his alternate gesturing left hand, Zarya is missing her alternate fists, and Pharah is missing her alternate fists and the display stand (though it could be argued that it's Mercy's accessory). It's weird that Hasbro chose to not include the alternate hands here. Still, it's a nice looking set and offers up some great color combinations for the crew. It's also been on sale a couple of times since I picked it up, meaning some folks have gotten it for $40 bucks instead of the standard $80.  Let's check out the set after the break...

The Scream of 31 Days of Toy Terror: Freddy Krueger from Toony Terrors by NECA

    Guess who's making an appearance today for The Scream of 31 Days of Toy Terror?  That's right: Freddy Krueger from NECA's new Toony Terrors line! Easily one of the most recognizable of the modern movie monsters, Freddy Krueger definitely transcends the films he is in and has become a bona fide pop culture icon. Seriously, despite the fact that it's been almost a decade since the remake and 16 years since the last film in the main series, Freddy Krueger is probably still recognizable to most kids, even those who haven't seen any of the films. I grew up surrounded by Freddy Krueger despite never having seen any of the movies until at least my late teens. Still, we had Freddy on random kids toys, Freddy on television, Halloween costumes galore, and even Freddy hawking 1-900 numbers to tell you scary stories. Yup. Anyways, despite really only liking the third and first movies in the series, I've always had a soft spot for the character and I was intrigued by NECA's Toony Terrors line. The idea here is to take the modern movie monsters and design them in such a way as to make them look like they were part of a 1980s Saturday morning cartoon. Imagine Freddy, Jason, Michael Myers, and Chucky all running around and... I don't know, solving mysteries or something. Seriously, how crazy would that have been? Considering the number of cartoons based on R-rated properties we had back in the day, I can't believe it never happened. Anyways, let's check out NECA's Toony Terrors Freddy Krueger after the break...

Saturday, October 12, 2019

Action Figure Review: Orko from Masters of the Universe by Super7

   I love Orko! Believe me, I absolutely dig the early minicomics and the Frazetta inspired burliness of the early MOTU line, and I really appreciate the more nuanced storyline of the 200x MOTU series, but, as I've gotten a bit older, if you ask me to picture MOTU in my mind, I'm picturing Prince Adam, Cringer, and Orko hanging out and doing something goofy. I definitely love nearly every area of Masters of the Universe but there's just something wholesome, fun, and carefree about the Filmation cartoons that warms my heart and just gives me an overall better sense of well being. Orko is such a fun character and while he has a long history in MOTU toys, Super7 may have just made the best Orko toy ever made. This Orko is from Super7's neo-vintage Masters of the Universe line which is intended to give Filmation styled versions of vintage styled toys. This Orko can work in your vintage line but I really think he'd be a darn fine MOTUC Orko as well. Let's check out one of the most fun Super7 MOTU toys after the break...

The Scream of 31 Days of Toy Terror: Pennywise (Well House) from It by NECA

   Since writing a review for each of October's 31 Days is rather time consuming, I do start writing these as early as July. Today I'm checking out NECA's Well House version of Pennywise from It and, as of writing this, I just saw a Thursday night preview of It: Chapter II last night. By now I'm guessing anyone who cares to has seen the film. Wow, right? The casting of the adult versions of the Losers was some of the best casting I've ever seen. Uncanny, really. Of course, Pennywise had lots of creepy new disguises as well. NECA hasn't really shown any new figures for the second film yet but I'm hoping that by the time you're reading this something has floated up from them, even if it's just some news about new toys or something. This version of Pennywise is from the middle parts of the first film, particularly from the scene where the Losers watch the film on the projector and from the first time the Losers go to the old Well House 29 Neibolt Street. While the general body is the same as the original figure, GameStop exclusive, and Dancing Clown versions, the multiple new portraits are what will get your attention here. As always, NECA does excellent work with the different Pennywise visages and fans will probably end up wanting all of them. Let's check out Pennywise (Well House) after the break...

Friday, October 11, 2019

The Scream of 31 Days of Toy Terror: Kroenen from Hellboy by Mezco

    While currently Mezco is mostly known for One:12 Collective and the Living Dead Dolls, there was a point in time where they released an eclectic mix of action figure lines based on their own unique properties as well as film and comic based lines. One of my favorite properties Mezco worked with is Hellboy. They did action figures for both of the Guillermo del Toro films and a decent range of action figures based on the Mike Mignola comics as well. Today's installment of The Scream of 31 Days of Toy Terror features Karl Ruprecht Kroenen, a surgery addicted Nazi with a clockwork heart. Kroenen was one of the most interesting villains in a film filled with interesting looking villains and Mezco put him in the first series and the 1.5 series. I've never been able to get my hands on the 1.5 Kroenen but I did manage to track down a series 1 Kroenen about a decade or so back. He's a really creepy figure, plus he gives you an evil, occult, piece of trash Nazi for Hellboy to fight. Ready for a really creepy and evil installment of The Scream of 31 Days of Toy Terror? Then join me after the break...

Thursday, October 10, 2019

Action Figure Review: Tomatohead from Fortnite: Legendary Series by Jazwares

    Series 2 of Jazwares' Fortnite: Legendary Series figures began shipping early last month and, oddly, not every figure seemed to be released at the same time. DJ Yonder came out first with Tomatohead and Leviathan shortly after. Jonesy and Abstrakt showed up near the end of September/ early October and, as of now, Valkyrie is nowhere to be found. Weird, huh? I've been seeing cases at Wal-Mart that have DJ Yonder, Tomatohead, Leviathan, and Jonesy, but no Abstrakt. Anyways, Tomatohead. Yup! These guys just get stranger and stranger. Apparently an employee of a pizzeria (maybe a delivery person?), Tomatohead's real name just might be Uncle Pete. He's well armed for sure, and makes another really out there figure for this collection. Ready to check him out? Then join me after the break...

The Scream of 31 Days of Toy Terror: Saurod from Masters of the Universe by Mattel

   Most folks would not consider 1987's Masters of the Universe to be a standout in horror cinema. Or sci-fi cinema. Or any cinema, really. Yeah, the movie just ain't that popular. It has flaws, no doubt, but I do really like the movie. It scared me as a kid, however. Skeletor really did. Frank Langella is awesome in the movie and, fortunately, Super7 is finally working on an action figure of the character for the Masters of the Universe Classics line. There are some other cool creature designs for the film, too, and one of those is Saurod. Played by Pons Maar, Saurod is one of the new Evil Warriors introduced in the film (part of the "Curious Quartet") and one of the few figures from the film to get an action figure in the vintage MOTU toyline. For being a movie made for the purpose of selling toys, Mattel sure didn't put a lot of effort into giving the film a robust toyline. Blade, Gwildor, and Saurod were all we got. Since I like the movie, love MOTU and Saurod, and love going off the beaten path for 31 Days of Toy Terror, today we're checking out my original childhood vintage MOTU Saurod figure. Enjoy!

Wednesday, October 9, 2019

Action Figure Review: Red Hood from DC Essentials by DC Collectibles

    Today I'm reviewing an action figure from... DC Collectibles? Yes, that's right: DC Collectibles? Man, where have they been? The last time I reviewed a DC Collectibles figure was January of 2019. If you looked at the toys I had on preorder a few years ago you would probably have seen a huge percentage of it was from DC Collectibles, but over the past few years they've been marching towards irrelevancy. Over the past few years they've cancelled way too much of the product they solicited and now they're mostly releasing their DC Essentials line. The DC Essentials line has been out for a couple of years now but it's mostly been characters who have had multiple releases. Of course, when I saw that DC Essentials was putting out a Red Hood I had to preorder him. Jason Todd is one of my favorite DC characters (he's easily my favorite "Robin") and there was never a great standard Red Hood. The Red Hood and the Outlaws figure was pretty good but he had those weird arm blades that Red Hood barely ever wore in the comics, and the Arkham Knight Red Hood is incredible but he's definitely not a traditional version of the character. This guy was going to be my stand in on my Mattel shelf...but guess what? Mattel went and released an actual Red Hood in the last series of DC figures they're putting out after having the license for 19 flipping years (they released this version, too, but it's not his most well known look). So that's how I ended up with two Red Hood figures within one week. We'll start with checking out DC Collectibles' Red Hood, and I'll probably get to Mattel's later this week or early next. Let's check out how ol' Jason is faring after the break...

The Scream of 31 Days of Toy Terror: Spawn from Spawn: The Movie by McFarlane Toys

   I'm sticking with the 1990s for today's installment of The Scream of 31 Days of Toy Terror, more specifically the year 1997. Whether you were a toy collector or a comic fan, Spawn was a big deal that year. While today superhero films are essentially a genre of their own, it's interesting that so many of the comic movies in the late 1990s and earlier 2000s were essentially horror films. The market for comic book films themselves just wasn't as receptive then as it is today so studios used comic books with a horror basis to get crossover appeal. Bring in both comic fans and horror buffs. it worked for awhile and did lead to some petty solid films like the Blade trilogy, Hellboy, Constantine, and, the subject of today's review, Spawn. Spawn might not be the best of movies but it was kind of cool for the time. The toys were also pretty remarkable. Around 6 years ago in a review of the Jessica Priest figure from the film, I spoke about receiving this figure of Spawn for my fourteenth birthday from a friend. I've always held on to him; while I've never been a huge Spawn fan, I've always loved this toyline. Let's take a look at a representative from the horror/ comic surge of the 1990s after the break...

Tuesday, October 8, 2019

Action Figure Review: Modulok D from Masters of the Universe ReAction by Super7

 Today I'm checking out the third and final figure from Super7's PowerCon 2019 offerings for the Masters of the Universe ReAction line and this time it's Modulok with both heads and all four legs. Super7 called this version of Modulok version D which was a little odd as version A and version B had been released, but we had no version C. Version C, which is a slight variant of this release, has actually been released as a NYCC 2019 exclusive, along with a Top Toys variant Modulok with green arms. This version, however, it based on the vintage Modulok figure from Mattel. While Modulok could have an endless number of combinations, this version shows a pretty standard look: Two arms, four legs, a tail, and two heads. It's not a perfect recreation of the vintage toy but it's fairly close and definitely makes for an interesting retro styled action figure. Let's check out Modulok D after the break...

The Scream of 31 Days of Toy Terror: Velociraptor from Jurassic Park by Kenner

   The 1990s aren't always remembered as one of the best times for horror cinema but they definitely had their moments, particularly in regards to creature films. While it's usually remembered as more of a sci-fi adventure film, Jurassic Park definitely scared quite a few folks and absolutely borrowed plenty of key elements from the horror genre to thrill audiences in 1993. I was 9 when the film came out, so I feel like I was the perfect age for Jurassic Park and thus I also had lots of the Kenner action figures. Kenner managed to combine evergreen appeal of dinosaur toys with the frenzy of a Steven Spielberg summer blockbuster to create an incredibly popular toyline! This Velociraptor is one of my original Jurassic Park toys and she's getting a spot on The Scream of 31 Days of Toy Terror! Enjoy one of the best onscreen menaces in all of cinema...

Monday, October 7, 2019

Action Figure Review: Panthor from Masters of the Universe Action Vinyls by The Loyal Subjects

    The cats from The Loyal Subjects' Masters of the Universe vinyls came out a few months ago or more but my standard Panthor just arrived in the mail within the last few weeks. I've had the flocked Panthor for a few months now but I've been looking forward to this one as I was disappointed that the flocking on that figure covered the facial features completely. This guy shows off all of the nice sculpted detail, however, and I kind of like him a bit more. Let's check out the standard Panthor vey, very briefly after the break...

The Scream of 31 Days of Toy Terror: Bossk from Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back by Kenner

   While most of the entries for The Scream of 31 Days of Toy Terror are based off of your standard movie monsters, both classic and modern, I always like to throw some twists and turns into the mix, too. While you may not think of the Star Wars films immediately when you think of horror films, there certainly are plenty of frightening creatures in the series. While I wasn't born until 1983, I definitely remember having Star Wars book and records sets that I was frightened of and of seeing the various clips from the series used for frightening effect in Muppet Babies, so when I was little Star Wars was definitely a little bit frightening. Creatures and aliens always make for good Halloween fare, no? Today I'm checking out a vintage Kenner Bossk from The Empire Strikes back. Bossk is one of my favorites and the Kenner figure has always been one of my favorites from the vintage Star Wars line. He's just such a cool figure and as one of the first figures from Kenner's The Empire Strikes Back line, he really shows off the advancements in sculpting and paint Kenner made during those early years. Let's check out this Trandoshan Bounty Hunter after the break...

Sunday, October 6, 2019

Action Figure Review: Mantenna (Toy Variant) from Masters of the Universe ReAction by Super7

   For PowerCon 2019 Super7 released a few variant of members of the Evil Horde based on their vintage toy counterparts. I looked at Grizzlor on Friday and today I'm checking out Mantenna! The Filmation based Mantenna ReAction figure was released a few months ago but now we've got one based on the vintage toy. Mantenna is one of two vintage Masters of the Universe toys that I somehow owned two of as a kid. I feel like I somehow stumbled upon a second one at a playground or something as my second vintage Mantenna has always been very, very rough looking (my original Mantenna is not, as I took pretty good care of my toys). Let's take a look at this repaint of Mantenna and see how he measures up over the break.

The Scream of 31 Days of Toy Terror: The Bride of Frankenstein from Universal Monsters ReAction by Funko

    For today's installment of The Scream of 31 Days of Toy Terror, let's travel all the way back to 1935 for a trip to the movies! Today's feature: Bride of Frankenstein! Bride of Frankenstein is James Whale's 1935 sequel to the original Frankenstein and is often considered to be the superior film. Starring Elsa Lanchester as the titular Bride, this film is one of the prime films in the Universal Monsters canon featuring one of the most visually iconic characters to appear in horror cinema. Funko released the Bride back in 2014 in their Universal Monsters ReAction line and while I've owned the entire series of figures since they first came out, this year I'm making a concerted effort to finish reviewing the entire series. Let's check out the Bride of Frankenstein after the break...